Setting Up a Telephone System for Your Small Business

Modern technology has opened up numerous communication channels for small businesses. These days, most businesses communicate with their teams and customers in various ways, like social media, emails, and project management software.

However, despite the advancements in modern communication, there is still a place for the old-fashioned phone in small businesses. If your business is looking to set up a phone system for communications between team members and customers, below are the steps you can follow to ensure you get the right system and set it up properly.

Determine the Features You Need

Start by making a list of the features you need within your telephone system. Do you need multiple lines, perhaps one for each employee? Do you need the ability to take phone calls on the go? Or maybe you need your telephone system to have an intercom that allows you to broadcast messages.

There are many features you can get with your telephone system. Taking the time to think of them now will help ensure that you select the right system for your business. Search through some popular business phone services and look at the features they offer. Then, make a list of the ones that appeal to you most, making special note of the features you must have.

Choose a Phone System Provider

Once you have an idea of the features you need, you can then move on to selecting a provider. There are various business telephone systems providers out there, each with its own pros and cons. Put together a list of potential candidates, then work to narrow down your options. Consider your list of desirable features when narrowing down your choices, along with other factors like costs. After narrowing it down to a few providers, you can then contact each provider to discuss your needs further.

Set Up the Equipment

After you choose a provider, you may have some equipment to set up. Telephones, intercoms, routers, etc., are all part of many business telephone systems. In some cases, the provider you chose will supply the equipment as a part of your agreement, perhaps for an additional fee. In other cases, you’ll need to buy the equipment on your own and set it up yourself. Be sure to conduct thorough reviews before purchasing any equipment to ensure it meets your specific needs and that previous customers had a good experience. If you need help setting up your new equipment, you can likely find guides online that will walk you through the process.

Configure Your New System

With your new equipment in place, you can then begin configuring everything how you want it. This might include setting up a call forwarding feature, an outgoing voice message, holding music, or voice message transcription. Tailoring everything how you like it may take some trial and error as you test out new options and get feedback from your employees and customers. Keep trying new configurations until your telephone system works perfectly for your business.

Educate Your Team

During the process of setting up your new phone system, you’ll need to take time to educate your team. Everyone who uses the phone system will need to know how it works, including how to make the most of all the features you set up. After setting up the phone system, set aside some time to show everyone how it works. You can also put together a written guide and distribute this to your employees so that they have reference material they can refer back to. Taking a short amount of time to educate your team now will save you a lot of time in the future by avoiding unnecessary problems.

Test Everything Out

Finally, before you make the phone system officially available to customers, consider running a test. Ask a few people to pose as customers and call your number, then try out a few of your features, such as on-hold music or transferring a call. By practicing on a few test customers first, you’ll work out all the kinks before the real customers call in. Tests can also help your employees learn how to properly use the system, allowing them to more efficiently handle customers once the phone system is live.

Start Setting Up Your New Business Telephone System

With the right telephone system, you’ll be able to communicate more effectively with your team, clients, and customers. All it takes is some time dedicated to finding the right system and configuring it properly for your needs. Then, as you fine-tune the process and educate your team on how to use the phones, you’ll find that communication runs smoother than ever before.